For many in the Hip-Hop community, the creative life force that is Dapper Dan stands as the heart of its relationship with fashion.
Responsible for the looks and styles sported by many a fashion-forward musician in the 80s and 90s, the visionary saw his art receive a fresh dose of his life when one of his creations became a meme on social media.
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)
Little did he know that the boys and girls of Instagram weren’t the only ones “liking” his work.
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)For, much to the horror of his supporters, the fashion house Gucci seems to have “borrowed” his idea to support their ‘Gucci Cruise’ collection.
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)
Confused, some took to social media to criticise the company.
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)this hits home, especially after viewing Gucci's resort collection & seeing absolutely no credits towards the style icon Dapper Dan. pic.twitter.com/7ZNwgaLlaD
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)— Brown Girl Alchemy (@amberjfinney) May 30, 2017
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)Is Gucci gonna, say, pay Dapper Dan to license that design? Or is it just one of those feel-good unpaid homages on which businesses thrive
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)— Matthew Schneier (@MatthewSchneier) May 30, 2017
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)On the left Dapper Dan creation circa 1980 something, then on right Gucci cruise 18'….. ? pic.twitter.com/0O8OQsR769
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)— Shelton Boyd (@flyrebel) May 29, 2017
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)@gucci y'all stole Dapper Dan's design yet you sent him plenty of cease n desists and had his shop raided multiple times in the 80s and 90s. pic.twitter.com/VB7ueqQnF7
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)— D Bruze (@darienbruze) May 30, 2017
Video In-Article Ad (Desktop)
Dirty thieves. That being said, Beyonce has stolen from more black writers and creative people so Gucci shouldn’t be singled out.
This is the problem, because when we voice our parasitic relationship with white people be it foreign or domestic people always make it seem like were trippin. But they are always stealing our style and creations and telling us to pick ourselves up by the bootstraps but how can we when they keep stealing our boots. That’s why we have to stop supporting theses lame companies our money is important because people are ignorant and Gucci banked on people being that, because this isn’t the first time white owned fashion houses have done this. Not only that white’s will go out their way to destroy you but cant do the same with creativity. So in short we have to stop supporting our own disenfranchisement by letting them get away with this madness and hypocrisy.
Big Danny was big back then! I say Big Danny because he’s my nephew’s father!! We still have his designs.
That is a very cute jacket. I want one.